Meet the team behind Surf Life Saving GB. From our HQ staff who support members, clubs and partners across the UK, to our Board of Trustees who provide leadership and strategic direction, these are the people working together to help prevent drowning and strengthen communities.
Our HQ team supports members, volunteers, clubs and training centres, building key partnerships to ensure we can consistently train and equip volunteers to save lives and prevent drowning in open water.
CEO
Leading a programme to revitalise Surf Life Saving GB, ensuring they can continue to save lives, train the next generation, and respond to evolving community and environmental needs.
Operations and Safety Director
Provides our clubs with advice, support and guidance for all safety related aspects.
Head of Events
Responsible for all aspects of our event planning, management and delivery.
Head of Membership & Programmes
Supporting our clubs and members through their future development.
Membership Manager
Providing admin support to clubs and members for all queries relating to the MIS process.
Digital Manager
Keeping members, clubs and website visitors up to date on the latest news and events.
Finance Officer
Keeping members, clubs and website visitors up to date on the latest news and events.
Safeguarding Manager
Keeping members, clubs and website visitors up to date on the latest news and events.
Our board of trustees bring personal passion for the work SLSGB do as well as specialist experience and expertise to help determine and drive the direction of SLSGB and all we do.
Chairman
Glen’s focus within SLSGB is lifesaving. He joined at 16 years old and remains qualified as a surf lifeguard, IRB crew & driver, water event safety manager and a swift water rescue technician.
Trustee
Mike became part of Surf Lifesaving 16 years ago and is currently a club president as well as being an active competitor, surf lifeguard and level 2 coach. He is passionate about fundraising and partnerships, as well and the establishment, support and growth of new clubs around the UK.
Trustee
Mike grew up in Spain and Turkey and spent much of his childhood in and around the sea. He enjoys all water-based activities from sailing to open water swimming.
Trustee
Carolyn has lived in the South West (Plymouth) for over 30 years. She is passionate about the sea, and ensuring that as many people as possible enjoy our coastlines, and can remain safe whilst doing so.
Trustee
Andrea has been a member of Llantwit Major SLSC since 1973 gaining her bronze medallion at 16. She then went on to become an instructor, examiner and judge. In 2003 Andrea became a life member of SLSGB; she is also a life member of SLSA Wales and Llantwit Major SLSC.
Trustee
As an active member and coach at NSLSC and the Manager of GB Lifesaving team, Ashley is keen to develop SLS and SLS high performance as a sport and believes in giving back to the community and clubs that have provided him with opportunities.
Trustee
A passionate surf lifesaver, communications expert, and peace advocate with a deep personal connection to SLSGB. His journey – from being rescued at Trevaunance Cove in Cornwall to becoming a lifeguard and coach himself – has shaped his commitment to ensuring the organisation.
Trustee
David and his family wer involved in Porthtowan Surf Life Saving Club from an early age. His passion for surf life saving grew from there and in 1994 he was one of three nippers selected by SLSGB to carry the medals at ‘Rescue 94’ the World Life Saving Championships in Newquay.
Join the team behind Surf Life Saving GB and help drive our mission to prevent drowning across the UK. Any current vacancies will be advertised here as they become available. If there aren’t any roles listed right now, complete the form below to register your interest and enquire about upcoming opportunities.
Play a direct role in shaping national drowning prevention initiatives and supporting volunteers who save lives in open water every day.
Contribute your expertise to influence the direction, governance and long-term development of a respected national charity.
Chairman
Glen joined the surf life family at 16 years old, and remains qualified as a surf lifeguard, IRB crew & driver, water event safety manager and a swift water rescue technician.
Supportive of all SLSGB activities, his main areas of interest are lifesaving, first aid and water safety. He remains an active member of his local club and has been elected on the management committee for over 12 years and is currently in his third term as the Club Chairperson.
Glen served as a volunteer Coastguard rescue officer for 20 years undertaking roles including rescue boat helm, mud and cliff rescue technician, search specialist and incident manager.
Glen is a Chief Police Officer with Devon & Cornwall having specialised in large policing operations and major incidents. He is the national police lead for Maritime and Dive Policing and Search and Rescue and is the vice-chair of the UL Search & Rescue strategic management board.
Glen is married with two sons; all of whom are active lifeguards and all of whom have faster swim times during the annual lifeguard re-qualification swims.
Trustee
Trustee
Mike grew up in Spain and Turkey and spent much of his childhood in and around the sea. He enjoys all water-based activities from sailing to open water swimming and in 2022 was lucky enough to realise a childhood dream by swimming across the Bosphorus.
Mike has worked for the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch for 24 yearshaving joined as an Inspector, following a career as an engineer in the Merchant Navy. The branch is responsible for completing safety investigations into accidents involving UK registered vessels worldwide and all vessels in UK waters. These range from collisions between large ships to paddleboarding fatalities on rivers. His work for the branch has been instrumental in enhancing safety practices across multiple areas of maritime and water-based activity.
He lives in Hove and joined Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club with two of his children in 2014. With the club he qualified as a surf lifeguard, first responder, trainer/assessor, IRB crew and water event safety manager. He was safety officer for Brighton SLSC for 5 years, developing and implementing the club’s safety management system. On behalf of the club he was water safety lead for several major events, including the Brighton Triathlon for three years, writing and implementing the water safety plan for that event.
Mike is passionate about making safe access to water-based activities accessible and inclusive to all, through promoting safety, risk mitigation, and effective governance.
Trustee
Trustee
Andrea has been a member of Llantwit Major SLSC since 1973 gaining her bronze medallion at 16. She then went on to become an instructor, examiner and judge. In 2003 Andrea became a life member of SLSGB; she is also a life member of SLSA Wales and Llantwit Major SLSC.
During the 1980s and 1990s she held various roles for SLSGB: registrar, chief superintendent examiner, chair of sport committee, Welsh representative on the Board of Directors.
Since 1999 she has represented SLSGB at six European Championships and five World Championships as mainly a Chief Referee or Deputy Chief Referee.
In 2020 Andrea became the SLSGB representative on the ILS Sport Commission and more recently became a member on the ILSE Sport Commission.
Andrea retired from teaching in August 2023 after 38 years in the profession. She now has more time on her hands so is excited to give back to the ‘hobby’ she so loves, by becoming a Trustee.
Trustee
Ashley, is an accomplished Operations Manager and Paramedic for Cornwall & IOS, South Western Ambulance Service – with 32 years of employment. His role entails overseeing operations across 17 ambulance stations, ensuring the highest level of care is provided to patients. Additionally, he serves as a retained fire fighter and watch manager at Newquay Fire station, further contributing to the safety and well-being of the community.
His passion for serving the community extends beyond his professional life – Ashley has been a dedicated helmsman and crew member at Newquay Lifeboat Station since 1992, and has been a Trustee for CELT (Cornwall Education Learning Trust) since 2001, he is committed to making a positive impact on education and learning in the region.
As an active member and coach at NSLSC and the Manager of GB Lifesaving team, Ashley is keen to develop SLS and SLS high performance as a sport and believes in giving back to the community and clubs that have provided him with opportunities.
In his personal life, Ashley is married to Lisa and has two children, Jasmine and Finley, who are both active surf lifesaving members and employees of the RNLI Lifeguards.
Trustee
Simon Cohen is a passionate surf lifesaver, communications expert, and peace advocate with a deep personal connection to SLSGB. His journey – from being rescued at Trevaunance Cove in Cornwall to becoming a lifeguard and coach himself – has shaped his commitment to ensuring the organization thrives as the national leader in water safety and drowning prevention. Now, as a Trustee and father of three nippers, he is dedicated to strengthening SLSGB’s community of 10,000 members and expanding its national and international influence.
With over two decades of leadership in strategic communications, fundraising, and organisational growth, Simon has driven transformative initiatives. At 24, he founded Global Tolerance, a pioneering social change agency representing figures such as HH Dalai Lama, HM King Charles III, and TED. After growing it to a £1 million valuation, he famously gave it away to empower future leaders. Most recently, from his home in Cornwall, he led the Muhammad Ali Center’s global compassion research initiative, the Muhammad Ali Index.
A faculty member at the Amani Institute, Simon teaches leadership to social entrepreneurs worldwide. A regular commentator in the international media, he has written for the Harvard Business Review and spoken on leadership and values at the UN, UNESCO, and the World Economic Forum. He also serves as Vice President of the Mattie Stepanek Peace Foundation and sits on various nonprofit boards.
Simon lives in St Agnes with Kate Shepherd Cohen, and their three children, Seren, Raya, and Zennor, where he also runs a local mindfulness group.
Photo Credit – Worldwide Meeting on Human Values
Trustee
David was part of the first ever cohort of nippers of the association, however he and his family was already involved in Porthtowan Surf Life Saving Club before that. His passion for surf life saving grew from there and in 1994 was one of three nippers selected by SLSGB to carry the medals at ‘Rescue 94’ the World Life Saving Championships in Newquay. Being given the opportunity at an early age to rub shoulders with Trever Hendy and Cory Hutchings ignited a lifelong passion.
David has always loved competing in surf life saving and is part of the Portreath SLSC National Championship winning team, David represented the Great Britain Team in 2005 and 2007 and was the Open European Paddleboard Champion in 2007. David has raced all around the World at European and World Championships as well as the Australian Championships for North Burleigh SLSC.
David first got involved with SLSGB as the Surf Life Saving Cornwall Sports Representative and a member of the SLSGB Sports Commission from 2004 until the point it was disbanded and has always been part of the Portreath SLSC committee and is the current Chairman.
David was a professional beach lifeguard and beach lifeguard supervisor for 12 years for the RNLI, Local Authority and Gold Coast City Council in Australia and has been involved in the development of lifeguard services in Denmark and in France for the Societe Sauvetage en Mer (SNSM). David is still a qualified beach lifeguard and a active patroling member of Portreath SLSC.
David is super keen to represent the members of SLSGB and continue to develop and grow surf life saving.